I’m betting you’ve seen the movie Frozen. If you haven’t, go rent it and watch. We’ll wait. Come back and let us know your thoughts.

I don’t know if what Disney did with that movie was intentional or not (I sort of think not), but they really created different heroines for different audiences. I’m guessing most of you saw it and thought of Anna as the heroine. She’s the one who goes on the quest to find her sister. She’s the one who, in the end, sacrifices all to save her sister. She risks everything to save Elsa and the kingdom of Arendell. Anna’s funny, brave, kind, but she’s also a bit impulsive and starved for love. We can relate to her vulnerability. Who among us hasn’t felt lonely at one time or another? We admire her because she embodies what it means to be a hero—sacrifice, risk, doing what is right even when no one else will.

But I bet if you have a young child, especially a daughter, she isn’t enamored of Anna. She loves Elsa. Princess Galen adores Elsa and even has an Elsa dress.

[SPOILER!]

Why? Elsa is not the heroine of the story. In fact, Elsa seems to be the villain until relatively late in the movie when Hans’s real character is revealed. So why do kids love Elsa? Because she’s strong and powerful. No matter that her power is a fluke. That she’s actually kind of a coward because instead of facing her weakness (her powers) head on, she tries to hide them and runs away when the going gets tough. When PG and I play with her Anna and Elsa dolls, my daughter always wants to be Elsa. All her little friends want to be Elsa. No one wants to be Anna. She isn’t special. She doesn’t have the unique powers Elsa has.

And as an aside, I don’t think Disney expected Elsa to be the more popular one because they were not prepared for it. We were at Disneyworld right after the release of Frozen, and Elsa dolls were sold out. We got the last one in Epcot while we were there. A few months later, I decided to buy an Elsa doll for my daughter’s friend’s birthday. I couldn’t get one anywhere for under $150. Even now if you look on Amazon, Anna dolls are about $23 while Elsa dolls are $45. Scarcity increases desirability, but I think Disney would rather have the money from all of those Elsa doll sales than disappointed kids who will move on to the next big thing in a couple of months when doll production has caught up.

Princess Galen in her Elsa Dress

Creating heroines like Elsa is something authors have to watch out for. Sometimes we create a really strong character, but forget to make him or her heroic. It’s not enough for a character to be strong or brave or special, he or she has to use those talents in heroic ways. Incidentally, Disney is able to redeem Elsa at the end of the movie because we have a foundation for her heroism at the beginning of the movie. She was a good sister to Anna when they were children.

So who’s your favorite? Anna or Elsa? Why? One person who comments wins the DVD of Frozen (U.S. and Canada only). Winner announced Sunday (April 6).

94 thoughts on “Frozen: Who’s the Heroine?”

LOL I haven’t seen Frozen. You Can’t Make Me!!!! But I love watching ‘Let It Go’ sung in 25 languages. As to who I like, I only like them when they were kids. Super adorable!!!

As to authors creating strong characters that are not the main characters/ herores heroine s, that’s why you have a series. For example, Blue, it wasn’t that he was a villain in Lord and Lady Spy, it was just that his character spoke to us in a way that we wanted more of him. And he was or is a strong character that helped moved the story for Adrian and Sophia so that had to mean something.

Loved Frozen! I believe Anna is the true heroine, but Elza and Kristoff have their moments. Olaf is my favorite character, I haven’t laughed so hard at a character as I did with him. I love watching the movie just to see all the gags in the background. Did you notice that when Olaf is impaled, his butt laughs too? Or did you notice that Sven stuck his tongue on the stairs. There are so many of these little gifts from the Disney animators that make this a great movie. I also liked that the act of true love was not the typical male/female relationship. If you haven’t watched it, you are missing a good time.

Your post is interesting to me because I didn’t really like the Frozen storyline. At least, I didn’t like how it ended. I thought it would have been great, at the end, if Elsa gained control of her powers while Anna simultaneously came into hers. I only saw the movie once so parts of it are sort of vague but if I remember correctly, this would have had the effect of them saving one another. I thought that would have been cool. I liked the story but not as much as the Croods. I thought the Croods story was better. One of the reasons, besides the fact that Elsa hides in a room by herself for over a decade and doesn’t lose her mind and even emerges as gracious and wise, is because I wasn’t satisfied with the ending where Elsa just seemed to suddenly gain control of her powers. I thought breaking the block on Anna’s memory and having her step into her own powers of autumn and spring would have been really great.

Amber, I think you should write your own version of Frozen and do it that way. This is the beginning of a great idea! Sometimes I think, what if a movie had gone this way instead of that way…and bam! There’s a book idea 🙂

I love ‘Frozen’. I’ve fell in love with the movie from the first second of first trailer I saw. And yes, I do agree that Elsa is ‘stronger’ character in the movie. She’s cool (yes, pun intended), she has powers, she’s a queen, not to mention her cool dress, castle and hair. Come on! Who wouldn’t like to be Elsa?

With that said, I still have to say that my favorite character in the movie is still Olaf. Sorry girls, but that innocent, slightly stupid look on his face is what makes him loveable. You can’t get mad at him, no matter what he does or says.

So, now I’m going to go and watch Frozen, and no, I’m not going to be a part of the contest. I don’t live in North America, but I did want to give my opinion.

well, i have not seen frozen either – maybe children prefer the elsa character because she is different where everything thing she does is not perfect (more like real people) – it’s hard to identify with someone that is perceived as perfect – always knowing the right thing to do

That is so interesting that Elsa is so popular! I liked that even though Anna didn’t have special powers she still was the heroine, but I never really thought of Elsa as a villain, either. I did find it interesting that a friend’s little boy was scared by the beginning of the movie – he was upset that the siblings were separated.

Elsa isolated herself away from the person she loved most in the world, her sister Anna to protect her. . Taking her parents training to heart, keep it hidden, lock it up inside and don’t let anyone know by running away from her problems freezing Anna out. It was heroic to not want to hurt or kill Anna but she did it in a misguided way.

Anna, once she learned the big secret, never gave up searching for Elsa, even if it killed her to bring her sister back home.

They were both magical. Elsa’s was outward, showy and dramatic while Anna’s was inside, determination and sacrifice. How can I choose?

I actually just watched Frozen for the first time last week and I really liked it. I love that song! Anyway, I found myself pulling for Anna. I thought she was brave and string to go out chasing after the sister that has avoided her for so long. I was hoping she would get her HEA and get all the love that she deserved. I thought Elsa was selfish and a coward. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked the end and thought it was a great movie. Team Anna!!!!

I haven’t seen it yet, but we really want to. The thing about heroes is that the characteristics for them have become static & in many instances predictable & boring. Sometimes the anti-hero character has more character & charisma – think Hans Solo (pre-re-edit) vs Luke Skywalker – which would you want to date? I also vaguely remember a Mission Impossible where the villain was really charismatic & fun while Tom Cruise’s hero character was really really boring, so much so that I was rooting for the villain.

My youngest is 7 and it is the only movie as far as she is concerned!! We watch the movie or at least parts of it everyday…lol She wants to be Elsa. I think that she is my favorite also. As an adult it seems that she has the saying that fits for most of what we go thru…Conceal don’t feel don’t let them know. Everyday as an adult or a parent it seems that we have to do this to get thru our day for everyone else. Also when we dat on Santa’s lap at Christmas time he said that it is the first time that he has had a little girl ask for ice powers!! LOL

I really hadn’t thought that much about it until now. But Elsa was/is our favorite too! Every time my granddaughter watches it and it comes to the part where Elsa is “embracing her true self” I guess youd say…She yells for me to come watch what she calls the prettiest part of the wholeeeeee movie! 😉 I even remember talking to my granddaughter about her while we watching, telling her to never hide who she really is…to be strong and such. Hmmm I wonder what Disney is thinking now! hehe

I haven’t seen Frozen, but I have been trying to rent it for days now, for my 4 year old granddaughter. No luck so far, but hopefully next weekend. I will make sure I watch it with her and will give you a update on which one she likes best. I have a 5 year old grandson that keeps saying he isn’t going to watch it, but I am sure I can get him to and you can count on Elsa will be his favorite. lol

I received the movie late this afternoon! We were off to the kids T-ball game, so I told them we would watch it after school tomorrow. I also watch my 9 year old twin nice cans nephew and they are just as excited to watch it with us!! Thank you so much for the movie. I can’t believe how fast it came from Amazon. I will get back with you on what they kids thought about it. 🙂

After the third time my daughter watched it, she realized that Anna was the true hero of the story. Before that it was Elsa, Elsa, Elsa! After her “Ah ha, moment.”, she actually felt sorry that Anna’s merchandise was not as popular. Now Anna is mentioned almost as much as Elsa. I was just happy that she realized it. I saw that Elsa was not intended to be so nice, which is why she comes off the way she did.

Your daughter is older, Gayle. That’s probably why she figured that out. I don’t think younger kids can see past the magic powers Elsa has. They are trained to believe that makes someone the hero, when really ordinary heroes are just as cool!

I was very surprised that Elsa wasn’t the main heroine in the movie because it seemed like that was how it was being set up in the beginning of the movie. I see Elsa as a secondary heroine and not a villain at all. She had a terrible “gift” to live with, and she suffered for it. I thought it was a delightful twist that the sisters/co-heroines saved each other instead of needing the usual romantic hero to save the day. I hope that Disney does a sequel so that Elsa can get a man of her own.

Even without seeing the movie, I love Elsa more. I blame my friends because they have seen it and can’t stop talking about it around me. But from what they said and reading this, I am loving Elsa even more.

Let’s give Elsa a little credit. She is TERRIFIED of herself and what she can do. The scene after she shoots Anna in the heart and the ice castle is turning scary colors, and she’s desperately trying not to feel anything but it is like she’s trapped in a prison of ice is heartbreaking. She’s scared of touching anyone, especially her sister because she’s haunted by the fact she almost killed her sister as a child. If you look at her attempts to keep Anna away as her trying to protect Anna, she is just as sacrificial, but she has more to lose in the story in so many ways. If Anna dies, she loses her life. If Elsa can’t control her fear, she will destroy everything she has ever loved and disappoint her father’s faith in her strength. Frankly,I’d rather be dead. It is only when Elsa believes Anna is dead that the storm stops because Elsa has nothing left to lose, and so nothing left to fear. Her worst nightmare comes true. I like Anna, but I FEEL for Elsa. She has the more compelling story.

Great points. Maybe I feel less sympathetically toward Elsa because she seems to handle the isolation better than Anna? I feel for her too because she is so lonely and desperate for love and affection.

We’re big Frozen fans at my house – we saw it 3 times at the theatre, including the sing-along version. Personally I think Anna is the heroine, but both my girls prefer Elsa. Don’t under estimate the appeal of a pretty dress & magical powers in the eyes of children. 🙂

Oh Shana, you know I have so much to say on this one. LOL
It is funny, isn’t it? How so many girls gravitate to Elsa. My granddaughter included. Because she has powers.
Its the older girls that recognize in the end that Elsa is the one alone. And that she has spent most of her life alone.
Its why I think Disney is setting up for a Frozen 2. How can they leave the queen alone with no love after spending her life alone to protect the people around her???
Though it will be hard to live up to Frozen, wont it?
But lets not forget how long it was until Toy Story 3 came out. And it was magnificent. Perfect. And as per Disney genius, it left the story open. They could easily make more. With Bonnie. Or Andys children or grandchildren.
Or it was the perfect ending to the perfect tri fecta movie series.
Back to Frozen, everyone forgets Olaf. Would Anna have gotten out of the castle without his help?? He found the staircase that leads exactly where they want to go.
He was a hero too.
And then there is Sven. Who raced to get Anna to help. And then raced to get Kristof to Anna.
And of course, Kristof missed his moment by mere seconds. Poor guy. But he certainly was a hero.
And can that possibly be the last time we see the ”love experts”??
And a small rant. I love everything Disney. But I give them a total F for their marketing in this one.
The movie came out at Thanksgiving. I understand that it took them by surprise and being sold out at Christmas is understandable.
But now. In March?? Still sold out everywhere!! Everything Elsa is gone. Still!! And almost everything Anna too.
Back when the movie came out, I ordered my gd the 18 inch soft Elsa doll. I could see the way the wind was blowing, so I ordered one from Amazon & one from Disney. I kept the extra.
And now, I am the hero of the world to my next door neighbors daughter. It was her birthday. And the only thing Elsa she got. Yay!! haha
I just am shocked that Disney!!!! Disney!!! has not gotten production caught up by now. Such a disappointment.

I can’t believe all these people who haven’t seen Frozen!!! OMG! Maybe it’s only because we saw it 4 times at the theater and watch it all the time at home now that that’s so shocking. LOL!

Anyhoo, you’re so right…all the little kids LOVE Elsa! My daughter is obsessed with her. She studies her when she sings and does all the movements just like her. I want to shake her and say, “Don’t you realize YOU’RE AN ANNA!!!” And she is…funny, quirky, lovable…the polar (pun intended) opposite of Elsa.

Oh, well…it just means I get to play Anna (my favorite) when we sing the soundtrack. LOL!

Very interesting. My little boy loves Elsa too (after Olaf but he is a boy!) I asked him why and he said because she can make a really cool castle. Fair enough. I personally would always choose Anna. Elsa was a little scary and intense.

No, haven’t seen it. I don’t have kids. It’ll probably be on Starz since it’s a Disney movie and maybe I’ll watch it then. I prefer live-action family movies to animated ones. Three times in the theater? That would be expensive. I’m sure kids’ tickets are just as expensive as for adults ($7 or more).

I watched this once so far with my nieces (10 and 8) and nephew (2) and I really thought it was cute. They had already seen it a million times before that, so they had a good cackle at my expense when Hans turned out to be different than I expected, because I didn’t see it coming. This post makes me want to go to them and ask them what characteristics make them like/dislike Anna and Elsa.

I like Anna, because I have a sister and I like to think I would sacrifice anything for her, too. I’ll have to make a point of asking the 5-year old grandkids (one girl and one boy) who they believe the heroine is…or who they like the most and why. So far all I’ve gotten from them is many, many verbal renditions of “Let it Go.”

I haven’t seen it yet but my sister and her children have and they all love it and they all seem to love Olaf the most. Probably because he is the funniest and they are boys and glittering dresses and cute songs are not appealing to them. I think that even though we all have a common definition of a heroine, we relate to one the most or we wish we were more like one of the two the most and we end up creating our own particular definition. I know if I win, I will certainly enjoy the movie.

I haven’t seen it yet, but I watched the clip from the movie where Elsa ‘let’s it go’ and created the ice castle. Apparently my 17 y.o. son heard it and said that everyone at his school loves the movie, both boys and girls. LOL I’m looking forward to seeing it and making him watch it with me. 😀

I like them both. Elsa for her sacrifice because she felt guilty for having such a special gift (leaving her sister and home). Anna for deciding she wants a sister and family to love. The ultimate moral to this story is that love will overcome any obstacle. I did find out that the lead animator is a nephew of Donny Osmond. If you watch Hans singing with Anna, he makes a move that Donny would do when he sang Puppy Love. It was a way to give a shout out to his famous Uncle.

I have seen the movie and loved it. I was probably the only adult there with no child in tow. LOL And I also dragged my hubby to sit through the whole movie. He didn’t like the movie at all but I loved it!

I think that Anna is the heroine of the story because it is her bravery and love for her sister that saved Arendell from eternal winter.

However, Elsa was my favorite character because she is not the typical “perfect” Disney Princess. She is different (same as with Princess Merida in Brave) and I thought that those reasons that make her a coward are those same reasons that make her brave and courageous.

I haven’t seen Frozen yet (but I plan to, no worries!!) so I can’t give an honest answer as to which of the two I love better but I have to say even if I didn’t love Disney movies, I think I would love this one because it’s a story of two sisters. I’m still close to my older sister and I tend to love my romance series when it involves siblings and getting their HEAs. Hopefully I’ll see the movie soon! Thanks for the chance to win it 😀

Haven’t seen the movies but all the little clips I’ve watched, I think Olaf is the most awesome (since I can’t choose between Elsa or Anna!). And I love hearing Let It Go. Definitely on my list to watch this movie, I just need to find the time!

I loved Anna. I didn’t really like Elsa, but I hated her parents. At first I thought she was selfish to run away. Then I thought to myself…she’s only 18!!! How mature can you possibly be when her parents left her on her own without any
training and allowing to stay alone in fear in her room all those years. So in essence she was protecting her sister who she loved. Of course my daughter loves Elsa. She wants the hair, the clothes, the magic, the ice castle, the signing voice.

i love elsa because she is brave,loving,beautiful,powerful.Anna has no powers she is not brave she is not beautiful. and infact the whole problem was created by Anna .she is fool.i don,t believe that she is the heroine the real heroine is powerful, brave.but she is not one of them. i din,t think that she is the heroine.

I know this post is a couple months old, but I’m so glad it was made. I have a 5 year old daughter who was obsessed with Elsa and her “ice powers”. I had a talk with her about who the true hero was in the movie. Elsa is the hero to thousands of little girls. But in my opinion as well, its her sister Anna who is truly the strong one. Elsa hides herself away for most of the movie, full of self-loathing and insecurities. She faces the world for a brief moment only to “lose control” and hide away again, intent on living life alone in her “ice castle” away from the world. Anna on the other hand lives her life with a positive outlook. She reaches out to her sister after multiple rejections. She falls in love, gets her heartbroken and bounces back with a vengeance. And she sets out on a dangerous adventure to find her sister and bring her back home. If you’re looking for a strong female role-model in the movie Frozen, Anna would be the one.